


Winter Sunshine

by Forever_in_Your_Heart



Category: Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare, The Last Hours - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 12:00:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4100182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Forever_in_Your_Heart/pseuds/Forever_in_Your_Heart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He just wants to help. Wants her to be Cordelia again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter Sunshine

_March 28th, 1894_

Cordelia bounces eagerly on the rug, listening raptly to Will's story. She is utterly enthralled by his adventures as a young shadowhunter with his parabatai, her cousin Jem. Lucie squeezes her arm, just as captivated and Cordelia can't help but dream of the day she'll be a shadowhunter too. James looks awestruck as his father continues and even Alastair looks intrigued and Cordelia hopes her father never gets back from wherever it is he's gone, because she never wants this story to end.

Will opens his mouth to finish his tale when the sound of doors crashing open drowns him out. Running feet scamper in the hall and then Cordelia hears the worst sound she's ever heard. It's a scream she thinks, but it's the type of scream one only hears in nightmares.

Will is already up on his feet and Lucie clutches her arm tight, eyes wide with terror. The door flings open and Cordelia peers out because she's always been far too curious for her own good. It's only a second, only a moment before Will pulls her away, wraps her in his arms to shield her but it's too late. It's only a second, but in that second she sees her father lying on the floor and he could be sleeping but even at nine, Cordelia knows he won't ever wake up.

* * *

The sky overhead is gray and heavy and a chilly breeze slithers through the streets. James steps outside and feels it, feels the cold straight down to his bones but at the same time doesn't feel it. He's too busy focusing on Cordelia and a different kind of cold that settles somewhere in his chest. She sits alone on the Institute steps, staring up at the sky and her eyes are dark like a winter storm.

James shuffles awkwardly towards her and places a little hand on her shoulder. She turns her head to look at him and crimson hair catches in the breeze. James is too young to truly understand what "beauty" is, but if he did, Cordelia Carstairs would take his breath away.

He takes a seat beside her and he's startled by how cold she feels. He presses closer, hoping to warm her up and takes her hand, just like Mama does when he's sad. Cordelia watches him in silence and he misses the Cordelia he's used to, the one who trips on her own feet and has a smile like sunbeams.

"I'm sorry about your Papa," he whispers, afraid to say anything too loud. She doesn't answer and he wants to say something else, wants to make this better because all anyone's been saying is _"sorry"_   but Cordelia's still sad and it makes him feel winded and disoriented. He wants to help. Wants to make this better, wants to make her smile, laugh, be _Cordelia_ again. And then he realizes he can. He swallows, nervous and tries to smile.

"I know it's not the same, but...but you can share my Papa...if you want," he tells her and there's tears in her eyes and he's terrified he's said something wrong. But then she smiles, slow and sweet and he can't help but feel like everything's going to be okay.

And even though the sky's still gray and the wind's still blowing, he feels warm.


End file.
